As stated in a previous post, while it is commonly thought that the colourful military uniform of the Swiss Guards was designed by Michelangelo, it was actually created by Commandant Jules Repond in 1914.
Inspired by the attires in Raphael's frescoes, he created a multi-coloured uniform, replaced the pleated gorget or throat-piece with a plain white collar and improved the cuirass remodelling it after the original design, abolishing all types of hats and introducing the simple beret worn today, which bears the soldier's grade.
Even after adding such changes, the uniform, in the traditional Medici colours - blue, red and yellow - with white collars and gloves, remained among the most complicated military attires ever created. A single uniform is indeed made of 156 pieces and must be custom-tailored for each guard.
This is why the Guards’ every-day uniform is steel-blue and it’s matched with a black beret. This uniform is mainly used for routine work, while exercising, on night watch, or in barracks.
The working uniform consists of hiplength doublet, with puffed sleeves, fitted at the waist and ending in a point at the front and wide knee-length breeches and stockings. The uniform is decorated with a basic white collar and accessorised with a pair of white gloves.
You can usually spot these guards around the Porta Sant'Anna entrance to Vatican City, the entrance that admits cars to the Vatican. There is actually a very practical reason why guards wear less intricate plain blue uniforms around this location: the 156 pieces of the dress uniform may indeed easily get snagged on passing car mirrors.
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